Apparatus for packaging products



Dec. 5, 1939. ER 2,182,700.

I APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet lI4 fowa RD /1. M01. LEE

" INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1939.

E. A. MULLER 2,182,700

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'F/Ci.4

i I I I I I I l l I I I I a I 6 I a I I I I I I I I I E I I I s a I I-"z m emazfim-lwvw i F/6-6 I j/ 45 I '55 jmirnmmmmnir fi EDWARD A MannaINVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAPPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS Edward A. Muller, Long Island City, N.Y.

Application June 6,1938, Serial No. 212,197 2 Claims. 01. 93-2) Thisinvention relates generally to improve ments in processes of packing andmore especially to improvements in apparatus for facilitating wrappingpackages in sheet material, such as Cellophane and the like.

It is presently customary to market many different types of products inpackages wrapped in thin, essentially transparent sheet material, suchas Cellophane or the like. It has been usual to wrap these products byhand, that is to say, the product was enveloped in a sheet of materialof appropriate size and the end of the sheet gathered together withappropriate means for holding the same in sealed condition. Thisprocedure has been unsatisfactory for several reasons, notably it hasbeen difiicult to provide suitable sealing means for the end parts ofthe Cellophane which would present a neat and agreeable appearance. Afurther disadvantage is that the process being composed essentially ofhand operations performed in sequence does not tend to make foruniformity of product. A still further disadvantage of the prior artprocess referred to is that it was often difficult especially withobjects of irregular shape to properly envelop the object in sheetmaterial preparatory to sealing the edges of said sheet.

It is among the more important objects of the present invention toprovide new and improved means for wrapping packages particularlyirregu-' larly shaped objects or packages in sheet material, such asCellophane or the like whereby an essentially continuous covering ofpleasant and attractive appearance is provided.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide means forfacilitating wrapping of objects in an essentially continuous fibroussheet wherein means are included for uniting end and edge portions ofsaid sheet to present an attrac tive and permanent seal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means forfacilitating enveloping of an object especially an irregularly shapedobject in a sheet of fibrous material wherebyend and edge, portions ofsaid sheet are gathered together in a manner facilitating sealingthereof.

An important advantage of the package wrapping means according tothe'present invention is that it can be adapted to use with automatic ,0machinery or if preferred, can be used in conjunction with hand wrappingprocesses whereby in the latter instance, the product is of a uniformitynot hitherto attained.

One of the more important features of the 5 novel package wrappingdevice accord g to the present invention is that it comprisesrelatively. few parts, each of which is characterized by simplicity andruggedness of construction thereby minimizing initial cost ofmanufacture and rendering unlikely damage other than wear re- 5,.

sultant from ordinary use.

Other objects, advantages and features of the device according to thepresent invention willbe apparent to those skilled in the art during thecourse of the following description. 10

Regarded in certain of its broader aspects, the present inventioncomprises a device having an opening formed therein adapted to receive apackage therein, the size of said opening being arranged wherebyrelatively small clearance is provided between the walls and thepackage, and one or more annular shaped members adapted to cooperatewith said device for facilitating gathering together of end portions ofsheet material positioned circumjacent said package, whereby 20 said endportions of said sheet material are arranged with respect to each otherin a manner facilitating sealing thereof and closure of the wrapper.

In order to facilitate a fuller and. more com- 25 plete understanding ofthe present invention, a specific embodiment thereof will be hereinafterdescribed, it being clearly understood, however, that the illustratedembodiment is given solely by. way of example and is non-limitative uponthe 30 scope of the present invention except as expressed in thesubjoined claims.

Referring then to the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is substantially a side elevational view of apackage providedwith sealed wrapping ac- 35 cording to the present invention. Figure 2is substantially a top plan view of the device according to the presentinvention used in facilitating wrapping of the package illustrated inFigure 1. 40

Figure 3 is essentially a vertical sectional view of Figure 2 takenalong the line 3-3.

Figure 4 is'substantially a side elevational view illustrating anothertype of package wrapped by means including the device according to thepresent invention.

Figure 5 is substantially a top plan view ofthe device according to thepresent invention used in wrappingthe package illustrated in Figure4,-and

Figure 6 is essentially a vertical sectional viewof Figure 5 taken alongthe line 6- 6.

Referring now especially to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, it will be notedthat thewrapped package generally designated by the numeral l0,comprises an essentially flat, substantially circular top portiongenerally designated by the numeral I I and an essentially sphericalbase portion generally designated by the numeral I2.

In wrapping the package, the sheet material is placed over the top H andthe sides and edges of said sheet are gathered together and sealed nearthe center point of the base l2, as will be hereinafter described.

The device according to the present invention is best illustrated inFigures 2 and 3 and comprises an essentially fiat base l4 and asubstantially hollow, essentially cylindrical guide member 15 positionedon said base. The interior of the guide [5 is provided with an openingis larger but only slightly larger than the package ID, at the place ofits greatest diameter whereby sheet wrapping material I'l, positionedcircumjacent said largest part of said package is snugly pressed againstthe package by the portions of the guide member l5, defining the openingIS. The upper portion of the guide member i5 is of relatively greaterinterior diameter and defines an opening l8 and ledge l9, adapted toreceive an essentially annular member 29 which rests upon said ladge I9,substantially as shown in Figure 3. One surface 2| of the annular member25, is curved to conform with curved side portions of the package lllwhereby the wrapping materialil positioned circumjacent said package ispressed thereagainst.

A second annular member 23 lesser in diameter than the interior of theannular member 20 hereinabove described, is provided and serves togather together side and edge portions of the wrapping material I! aswill be hereinafter described.

In use, a crinkled edged cup-like shape is formed of the sheet wrappingmaterial and the object positioned therein with the edges of the cupextending upwardly and the top of the package resting on the bottom ofthe cup. The object with the wrapper positioned circumjacent thereto isthen positioned within the cup l5 and the annular shaped guide member 25is then placed within the cup 15 and against the package whereby theedge and end portions of the wrapping material are moved toward the axisof the annular member 26. The ring or annular member 23 is thenpositioned upon the end and edge portions of ,the wrapping material,whereby said end and edge portions are moved into adjacency with respectto each other and disposed in essentially a common plane, therebyfacilitating application of a seal 24 thereto for holding said edge andend portions in relatively fixed position. After proper adhesion betweenseal and wrapping is attained, the annular members 23 and 25 are removedand the package disengaged from the guide l5.

Referring now especially to Figure 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted that apackage generally designated by the numeral 4E8 possessing anessentially frusto-conic'al base portion 4!, cylindrical intermediateportion 42 and substantially flat top portion 43 is provided withwrapping 44 having edge and end portions joined by a closure seal 45substantially as shown in Figure 4.

Referring now especially to Figures 5 and 6, it will be noted that abase 58 carrying supporting members 5| and 52 serves as mounting forplate 53, having an essentially circular opening 54 formed therein, saidplate 53 being arranged in spaced parallelism relative to said base 55.The package being wrapped 45', as positioned in a crinklededge cup 44-iormed of the sheet wrapping material and is positioned within theopening 54 of. the plate 53, whereby the edges of said opening snuglypress said wrapping material against the side portions of the package orobject 40. It will be understood of course, that the crinkled edgeportions of the wrapping material extend upwardly from the plate 53. Aring 55 is then positioned on and pressed against the end and edgeportions 56 of the cup 44, whereby said end and edge portions are movedinto adjacency relative to each other and are disposed in substantiallya common plane whereby sealing of said end and edge portions with aclosure 45 is facilitated.

After adhesion is secured between closure 45 and edge portions 55 of thewrapper 44, the annular member 55 is removed and the wrapped packagetaken from within the opening 54 of the plate 53.

It will be noted referring to Figures 3 and 6 particularly that duringoperation of the novel package wrapping and sealing means according tothe present invention, that the crinkled edge portions of the packagewrapper are moved into adjacency with respect to each other and disposedin a common plane by axial movement of the annular members 23 and 55respectively, whereby sealing and closure of said end and edge portionsof said wrapping material is at least. largely facilitated.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of. extendedapplication and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings norto the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes andmodifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of theinvention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the type described for facilitating closing and sealingof a crinkled edge package Wrapper comprising a guide block having anopening formed therein adapted to receive said package with said wrapperloosely positioned circumjacent thereto, the interior contour of said 1opening substantially conforming to the outline of the package wherebythe wrapper is snugly pressed against the sides of said package; a firstannulus, receivable within said opening in said block and on the freeextended end and edge portions of said wrapper, the contour of saidfirst annulus adjacent said package substantially conforming to theoutline of said package whereby said wrapper is pressed snugly againstsaid packageand the free end and edge portions of said wrapper are movedtoward the axis of said annulus; and a second annulus, receivable withinsaid opening in said first annulus and on the free extended end and edgeportions of said wrapper, whereby axial movement of said annulus membertoward said package causes said end and edge portions of said wrapper toapproach each other and dispose themselves in substantially a commonplane.

2. A device of the type described for facilitating closing and sealingof a crinkled edge package wrapper comprising a guide block having anopening formed therein adapted to receive said package with said wrapperloosely positioned circumjacent thereto, the interior contour of saidopening substantially conforming to the outline of the package wherebythe wrapper is adapted to be snugly pressed against the sides of saidpackage with the free end and crinkled edge portions of said wrapperextending outwardly causes said end and edge portions of said wrapperthrough said opening; and a ring-like member, to approach each other andto dispose themshaped to be received within said opening in said selvesin substantially a common plane facilitatblock and on the free extendedend and edge poring engagement of an adhesive closure therewith, tionsof said wrapper, whereby axial movement of. a 6 said ring-like membertoward said package v EDWARD A. MULLER.

